Hi, all!
I'm Elle (aka chaikovskiy), a five-time Open Novella Contest (ONC) veteran and one of 2021's Top Five winners! My historical heist story, "NOVYYE SAINTS," placed fourth overall and my 2023 and 2024 entries were both awarded Honorable Mentions. When I'm not writing, you can find me reading Ukrainian and Russian literature or studying at my local coffee shopâhence the coffee theme going on here.
For the past five years, I have participated in the ONC and run this guidebook for folks new to the contest and veterans who want to level up their writing. This year is no different! Here's to five years running and five years of novellas!
If you're new here, know that "Novellas & New Roast" is divided into four sections:
Americano, which will cover some preparations I advise doing before you start your novella.
Cappuccino, which will contain more general advice on how you can write and polish your work.
Latte, which is a mixed bag of ONC-related tips and tricks I couldn't leave out.
And Macchiato, which is an archive of ONC-related history and previously deleted chapters.
If you have any specific requests on topics you want to see me cover just ask! This project is for the community, so I'd love to have a chat with you in the comments about what you're struggling with and how I can help.
As always, happy writing and good luck this year! You've got this!
- Elle â¡â¡